FINDINGS FROM A STUDY OF RESEARCH ORIENTATION AMONG READING EXPERTS ARE REPORTED. WHILE INVOLVEMENT IN RESEARCH IS USUALLY DISCOURAGED BY HEAVY TEACHING LOADS, MEAGER RESEARCH FACILITIES, LACK OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT, AND NONRESEARCH ORIENTED BACKGROUND, MANY EXPERTS HAD NOT ENGAGED IN RESEARCH EVEN UNDER FAVORABLE CONDITIONS. HENCE, RESEARCH TRAINING, PAST AND PRESENT RESEARCH EXPERIENCE, AND RESEARCH IDEOLOGY WERE USED AS INDICES TO IDENTIFY RESEARCH ORIENTED EXPERTS. IT WAS FOUND THAT SEX, THE QUALITY OF THE SCHOOL ATTENDED, AND THE TYPE OF DEGREE EARNED WERE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO RESEARCH ORIENTATION. A COMPARISON OF EXPERTS WHO WERE MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN ENGLISH (NCRE) WITH NONMEMBERS INDICATED THAT NCRE MEMBERS DID NOT CONFORM TO PATTERNS USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH RESEARCH ORIENTATION. THE NCRE OF THE PAST HAD UNKNOWINGLY ENCOURAGED INBREEDING AND HAD PREVENTED WORK WITH OTHER FIELDS. THE PRESENT NCRE TREND, HOWEVER, IS TOWARD MEMBERSHIP BY NONEDUCATORS AND INTERDISCIPLINARY CONSULTATION. THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED TO THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN ENGLISH (NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 17-18, 1967). (NS)